I wanted to dedicate an entry solely to the intricacies of Downhill Skateboarding Racing so as not to scare off the normies. My life revolves around racing. I was introduced to my local community through racing, and I’ve always gravitated to maximizing a piece of pavement. Therefore it is only right that I write a piece on racing through my eyes. I am going to organize this into three pieces. The training, the riding, and the strategy. I hope this answers some questions you have had about racing, or motivates you to go and try it. After all, it is the best way to get better.
The Training. There are two facets to training when it comes to downhill, first is the skill-based work, put simply, the skating. The second is in the gym. Concerning the large part of the racing field, the advantage is built in the gym, just because few people are doing it.
Getting better at skating is quite simple, skate more. It’s almost impossible to get better at skating any other way. You can make your sessions more efficient but at the end of the day, you need to skate as much as possible. With this, there are three things you can do to learn “faster”. First, and most importantly, skate with people, and skate with people who are better than you. Countless times, I have caught myself adopting someone’s style after skating with them consistently. In most cases, this will transfer into positive adaptations. Second, is to watch yourself skate. Following car runs are dangerous, expensive, and inaccessible, but far from the only way to film yourself skateboarding. Strap a GoPro to your friend’s helmet or set up a tripod for a corner session. Watching videos and dissecting your form, will reveal the small details that you wouldn’t see otherwise. Third, if conditions allow, go skate in the rain. I have found that rain skating improves my board control and edge feel, as well as punishes bad habits. Some of the most fun I have had on my skateboard is on wet roads.
As for the gym stuff… This part gets kinda complicated. Going to the gym in the first place is going to have a positive effect on your skating, regardless of specific exercises. My personal goals in the gym are entirely outlined by skateboarding. I want to gain efficient weight, have a powerful push, and bulletproof my shoulders, knees, ankles, and everything else. Maybe later I will write a piece on my specific gym routine and exercises, but I am far from an expert on this subject and still refining this aspect of my training. In general terms, my exercises consist of hypertrophy for chest and back (no arms, I don’t want big arms due to aerodynamics, and they will grow from working out chest and back regardless), lower body explosiveness, core stability, and auxiliary stuff for my knees and shoulders. If you focus on all of that, there is no doubt you will become a more competitive racer. Once you maximize the training your schedule allows, you’ll start to feel the difference on the skateboard. Fatigue won’t be as big of a factor and you can concentrate on riding.
The Riding. Skateboarding is skateboarding. The most important thing is to have fun. Find your fun. I’ve found that my fun is optimizing everything I can. Sometimes I envy those who just freeride without particular attention to “effectiveness”, but I truly enjoy skating with the purpose of winning. A lot goes into the “downhill racing” style of skating. Everyone’s body proportions are different, so everyone leverages, and sliding positions are going to vary. There is nothing I can say about the perfect tuck, heelside, or toeside form. However, there are some general rules that I tend to follow.
There are some details that will result in faster qualifying times and race results. Most of these are the basics that you already know. When sliding, try to put as much weight on the wheels as possible. When tucking, turning, or anything that doesn’t need breaking, try to be as aerodynamic as you can. This means keeping your hands behind your back, keeping your chest flat, and trying to stay low. However, there is a balance to be found between line choice and aerodynamics. It can get complicated quickly. There is a simple way of thinking about it. The slower the corner, the more important line choice becomes, and the faster the corner, the more important aerodynamics is (you are hitting more air). If you are wondering what I mean about line choice, there are a lot of resources online, but the basics are, what is the shortest route through the corner that puts the least amount of stress on my wheels? (If you get this far and see this, send me a message on Instagram and I would love to chat about specifics) Since we do not have our own acceleration, we rely on the constant acceleration of gravity, the grade of the corner, entry, apex, and exit all come into consideration when choosing your line. With this said, a good rule of thumb is do everything to not slide out of the corner. Other than those details just remember to skate consciously, have fun, and manage your risks.
Additionally, one of the most common questions is, do I get nervous? Yes, of course. One of the most helpful things I learned was simply to appreciate the nerves. Wherever I get a knot in my stomach, I remember to be grateful that there is something in my life that I love to the point of being sick. Also, preparation goes a long way. If you have worked for the results you want, there is no reason to feel overwhelmed. You have prepared, and now it is the time to enjoy it.
The Strategy. The strategy is what I consider my weakest point these days. I have been doing work to learn and apply these lessons. Strategy is the hardest aspect to learn, it demands experience which requires consistent races throughout the season, something we don’t have much of these days. Regardless, I have been taking my lessons from where I can. The best strategy is to get out front and stay out front. It has worked well this year, I have won more races than I ever have while making the fewest passes I ever have. I must admit it hasn’t been the most exhilarating season, but it’s nice to see the work pay off.
What I can speak of is the general strategy in Downhill Skateboarding. I find it to be one of the most interesting intricacies of the sport, though it is often overlooked. Many things can play into the strategy of a track but there are three main things. Dimensions, direction, and is there a long straight at the bottom? The dimensions concern the length and width of a road. A longer wider road, will have more line options and more passing opportunities. “Sandbagging” when you try not to be in first off the push becomes a viable option. A short and narrow road will limit passing opportunities and make it easier to defend from the front. Direction, is regarding the “most important corner” and/or the general direction the road goes. However, it can be very dependent on the corners and the rider’s strong suit. In general, braking will be more consistent heelside, and cornering will be more aerodynamic toeside. Though different riders will always have their preferences. Lastly, the most feared question of top level racers is, is there a long straight at the bottom? Long straights often result in subpar racing as they invite a drag race in the bottom, making the top portion of a race track solely about positioning. I have experienced a Kozakov round where all four riders were standing full up through the top half and only started tucking in the straight. This is due to the fact that no one wants to be in front, leading to them being “draft bait”. As you have all experienced, draft is an important factor in Downhill, and the riders in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th will all have a much better chance at drafting and passing the rider in front.
These three basic considerations should put you on the right track. You may not have a full comprehension of everything that goes into racing, but at least you have some grasp on the ideas we are all considering.
If you have the opportunity to go to a race, go to it. Half of the race is showing up, and the other half is experience. Sit on the truck next to someone you look up to, and ask them questions. Most of us (big racers) love to talk about racing, so just ask us. The only reason racers do well and get on the podium is because they lost countless times. Don’t get discouraged and remember… have fun.